On International Women's Day

Written:Pravda,March 4, 1920Published:Women and Communism, Lawrence & Wishart, London,
 1950Transcribed and HTML Markup:Sally Ryan

Capitalism combines formal equality with economic and,
    consequently, social inequality. This is one of the principal
    distinguishing features of capitalism, one that is mendaciously
    screened by the supporters of the bourgeoisie, the liberals, and
    that is not understood by the petty-bourgeois democrats. Out of
    this distinguishing feature of capitalism, by the way,
      the necessity arises, while fighting resolutely for economic
    equality, openly to recognise capitalist inequality and, under
    certain conditions, even to include this open recognition of
    inequality as a basis for the proletarian state organisation (the
    Soviet Constitution).

But capitalismcannotbe consistent even with regard
    to formal equality (equality before the law, "equality" between
    the well-fed and the hungry, between the property-owner and the
    property-less). And one of the most flagrant manifestations of
    this inconsistency is theinferior positionof woman
    compared with man. Not a single bourgeois state, not
      even the most progressive, republican democratic state, has
    brought about complete equality of rights.

But the Soviet Republic of Russia promptly wiped out,without any exception,every trace of inequality in the
    legal status of women, and secured her complete equality in its
    laws.

It is said that the level of culture is best characterised by
    the legal status of woman. There is a grain of profound truth in
    this saying. From this point of view, only the dictatorship of the
    proletariat, only the socialist state, could achieve and did
    achieve a higher level of culture.

      Therefore, the foundation (and consolidation) of the first
      Soviet Republic--and alongside and in connection with this, the
      Communist International-inevitably lends a new, unparalleled,
      powerful impetus to the working women's movement.

For, when we speak of those who, under capitalism, were
    directly or indirectly, wholly or partially oppressed, it is
    precisely the Soviet system, and the Soviet system only, that
    secures democracy. This is clearly demonstrated by the position of
    the working class and the poor peasants. It is clearly
    demonstrated by the position of women.

But the Soviet system represents the final decisive conflict
    for theabolition of classes,for economic and social
    equality.For us,democracy, even democracy for those who
    were oppressed under capitalism, including democracy for the
    oppressed sex,is inadequate.

The working women s movement has for its objective the fight
      for the economic and social, and not merely formal, equality of
      woman. The main task is to draw the women into socially productive
      labour, extricate them from "domestic slavery", free them of their
      stultifying and humiliating resignation to the perpetual and
      exclusive atmosphere of the kitchen and
      nursery.

It is a long struggle, requiring a radical remaking both of
      social technique and of customs. But this struggle will end with
      the complete triumph of communism.